Let it snow..I mean I have a sunburn

While many of you read this from your wintery wonderlands I laid out by the pool in the most amazing weather today. Unfortunately my shoulders, back & legs haven't seen the light of day for that many consecutive hours in months so I'm going to bed a little toasty tonight but it's a feeling that reminds me of home...oh eastern North Carolina.

I am happy...wait I am overjoyed to report that In-Service Training (IST) is over. To be frank it wasn't exactly what I had hoped for but it was good to see friends none the less. Most of my stagemates are soon to arrive out in Zinder (the far east) tonight but I am quite content with my small and intimate Christmas... plus it's with Ginger, Carrie, and Emily in Dosso. I'm pretty excited...plus I have a serious Christmas package from mom that I haven't opened yet (aren't you proud). We're leaving tomorrow after we gather our necessary food supplies. I am cooking fried okra, fried green tomatoes and possibly pizza. It never ceases to amaze me how many people have never even heard of fried okra. Ginger and I made (well she bought it for me to make) a big batch with the intent on sharing yesterday but we snuck behind the hostel and had a lovely big bowl of fried okra as dinner. It did however make me miss my Grandma terribly.

I guess not much else to report right now. I'm very anxious to get back to Dounu-dibi. Tabaski is the 30 and then New Year's. Tabaski is a BIG celebration that occurs 70 days after Ramadan. So it's going to be 2 days of lots of dancing and killing of goats and such...this is what my social life is like now.

I am fast approaching 5 months since my arrival in this little space in the world I like to call home (Dec. 28). I think it's safe to say the honeymoon period is over. I feel a lot more comfortable in being more of me now than I ever have. Before I think I was quite reserved. Let me say that I'm sure many of you are thinking how in Allah's great name could Sarah Pharr ever be reserved??? But just try to imagine trying to comunicate in zarma and wanting to be "culturally sensitive to my community". Well now I've got somewhat of a handle on things and I haven't been ripped off as much in the markets, I have friends that are Nigerien and we can have whole conversations about real things like politics or my new life in Niger, and most importantly I know how to deal with the men. It may have taken 5 months but the solution: LIE. I bought a silver ring which now serves as my "wedding ring". I'm not lieing to my villagers but in big cities I'm as good as taken by "Caibou". Oh Niger...how can you not love it???

I hope this find you all well and in health. I pray that your Christmas is Merry. If you plan on celebrating Tabaski, that your stomachs would be stuffed and a smile on your face. And that your 2007 is better than your 2006.

Kala Hanfo...Until one day...

Sarahtou Dounu-dibi

OK for no other reason than share this with everyone else I had to post a blog up.

"Hope you are adjusting to being back among Amerik folks. White people can get on your last nerve sometimes." ~Lynn Pharr

In-service training (IST) has been interesting to say the least. I miss Doun-dibi terribly and have thought about my friends, maijiri and cat a lot.

If you do pray I have a slight request. My training site manager, Tondi, has become gravely ill and upon arriving into the capital we all found out he has been in the hospital for nearly a month with severe liver damage. There have been fundraising efforts among PCVs and staff in country as well as RPCV's and former PC Niger staff back in the states. I can't go see him because I begin to cry just thinking about it. Tondi is very important person to be and really the success of PC Niger. Without him and his tireless work I am fully confident I wouldn't be as prepared as I am today. We are raising money to send him to France for better medical care. Obviously being Nigerien or really anyone you don't have the kind of assets that would fund such an expensive trip to receive health care, which isn't exactly the cheapest of all needs. Just pray for him, his family he has 2 very small girls, and his wife.

Seing everyone has been good... but at times frustrating. Most people are happy to sit for the entire day on the porch of the hostel and moan about how they don't like various aspects. I miss having my own space...and just being home...back in my hut. Just know that my mom hit the nail right one the head with her quote. Oh well in due time...Kala suuru...have patience...and so it goes in Niger.

Sidenote: The cell phone has been purchased and the number is listed on facebook or if you want email me (or someone close to me) to get it. Talk to you soon!

Sarahtou Doun-dibi

Change begins with you...

Ay gonda cimi...

Well friends month 2 certainly did not disappoint. Thanksgiving was lots of fun and leaving my village for this whole month of Deember doesn't make me smile... but oh the obligations of a Peace Corps Volunteer. Out IST (In-service Training) Will be from the 7-22. I have be worned by Germany and others that if I don't come to Zinder for X-mas I will have lost thier friendship...oh peer pressure... so I geuss I'll make the trek out east. I stayed at Ginger's place Monday night where we bought and ate a whole chicken... yea the things you do when you don't have meat regurarly. After our feast we celebrated with peanut butter m & m's... thanks again mom!!! I didn't sleep too well. I fear that I have become so acustomed to sleeping outside now when I have an actual house with concrete walls I get freaked out... plus I couldn't stop thinking about seeing friends... Suz, Texas & Germany.

I arrived yesterday and I was bummed to be leaving Doun-dibi for so long but once I saw my stagemates all was well!!! There was lots of hugs and jumping up and down...ya know the usual me...kisses from Mark Seaman and planning where to sleep so as to be close to Frances. Others seemed to have really interesting stories... but all I could report was beng kicked my a donkey. Which even some more seasoned PCV's thought that was an accomplishment. Everyone had heard about my strep face incident thanks to the PC gossip chain... most peoples responce was that the scars would heal but that I looked much better from what they had heard... haha oh Niger.

Things couldn't be better in Doun-dibi. I fear I may have gotten in over my head with the garden. But it has accomplished much of my original goals. I think I have received a lot of respect for my work. My hands are raw but the work is rewarding. Clearing the field and digging the post holes took a week... whereas most villagers take 2 days. I kept having to take dyas off because my hands just hurt too much. I was told I had a lot of effort and that my strength was growing. In most of your letters you've wanted to see what my house is like or what I do on a day to day patience... I have pictures but the internet cafe i'm at right now is really slow so check facebook closer to christmas... kala suuru...have patience

And now for story time:
So there I was working on my garden which is right next to Rakia's (my chiefs daughters garden) and Basidu (her older brother) came over to start working on the fence post holes. I ask him to teach me as I soon would need post holes as well. Then Basidu looks up at me and says "You's don't know, you're a woman, you can't do this kind of work". Poor poor Basidu...I'm mean really you can't blame him. He doesn't know that I'm a feminist or even what the word means. He doesn't know that I'm "stubborn" or "hard headed" as some have been known to describe me. And he also doesn't know that he just set me off. So in my calmest voice possible I tell him that I like to work with my hands, that in Amerik women can do many of the jobs men do and that I still wanted to learn. He shows me, I dig a hole in the smae time he could have done 3 but at the end he tells me fondo goy..ni ga wanni (Great work...you know). I then walk over, find a rake and walks towards Musa's (another of my maijiri's sons) garden. He isn't there but I know its needs to be cleared so as favor to him I did it.
The crowd begins to form... as Sarahtou is doing a mans job. Basidu can't see me from where he's working but others inform him what I'm doing. Suddenly I got a burst of energy...it was just as the sun was going down. I cleared his garden in about an hour. Musa heard through others that I was working in his garden via the village gossip chain (which is ligting fast by the way). He comes over to tell me he is grateful and that I have a lot of effort. After that is all finished there is a HUGE pile. I suggest we burn it. Musa says know that it's too dry that tree's will catch on fire. Alpha comes by, yes now we're at about 20 people watching me work, he looks to Musa and say that we should burn it. I look to him in aggreement, flash and "I told you so" look ot Musa and urn to get matches. Well being the Sahara as all the fire gets slightly larger than I expect...but not out of control (still good, still good). Me and all these men sit back, arms folded watching this field go up in flames. Musa leans over and say "Ni gonda cimi" (You have truth). At the blazes light Basidu comes around to see what is going on. He see's that I have cleared the garden entirely by myself and Musa informs him it was my idea to burn the large pile. He echos that I not only have truth but strength and effort. I take in a deep breath.... I think to myself I am home. I have their respect. They understand me as best they can, and what of my true self I reveal to them.

I can't help but think...is this really my life? Its bound to get really tough at some point right?

Address Change

Due to circumstances outside of Sarah's control her options for receiving mail are limited. Please use only the following address when sending letters or packages to Sarah. Sarah Pharr, PCV, Corps de la Paix, B.P. 10537, Niamey, Niger Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to write/support Sarah on this journey. Lynn Pharr, Sarah's Mom